Holding On to You
by NyssaBoo
Summary: Set in Season 6: They all blamed Stefan for giving up on Damon. Stefan also blamed himself. But Alaric's words send him a little over the edge. Alaric catches Stefan trying to suicide and he takes the matter in his hands. Just the way Damon would have. Warning: Contains Spanking.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the characters of The Vampire Diaries. **

**Warning: Contains spanking. Don't like, don't read.**

_**Holding On to You**_

_You promised an eternity of misery, brother._

_And now you broke it._

_You died._

_And it was my fault._

Damon had promised Stefan that he would be there for him, forever. Even when they became their worst enemies, Damon was still there for Stefan. He promised him an eternity of misery. But now all was promises were broken because Damon wasn't here. And Stefan could do nothing about it than telling himself that Damon died for him. There was no hope to bring Damon and Bonnie back. And it was too much for Stefan.

He tried moving on and settling down with Ivy but yet he just couldn't let go of the guilt. Meanwhile, Elena had moved on in life. She had Alaric erase her memories. It's not that Stefan blamed Elena but he just didn't want to face any of his friends right now, not even Caroline. He stayed away from them as long as he could. But when they finally learnt that Stefan was doing nothing to find Damon, they all started blaming him. _As if it was not something Stefan regularly did to himself._

Enzo killed Ivy and it brought Stefan a little more to the edge. He no longer had something to hold him to this world. Not that Ivy was a good reason but at least Ivy was there for him. He could handle the glares from the others. He could handle even Caroline telling him to get out, though it did hurt a bit but Alaric's words stung more than Stefan could even think. He'd listen to Alaric curse him for giving up on his brother and silently walked out of there. 

He couldn't see where he was going. Or perhaps it was the tears that were blurring his vision. But suddenly he was standing in the Salvatore crypt, in front of the window waiting for the sun to rise with his ring off his finger.

"I know I'm a crappy brother… But you know I really miss you. None of them really understand what it is for me to lose you…" Stefan choked on a sob before drawing a hitched breath and continuing, "They expect me to keep looking for you when they only have already moved on in life. I cannot continue looking for you because if I fail, it will be too much for me… So I kept hoping, you know… That you'll come back soon… But it doesn't matter now… Because I'll soon join you there… Besides nobody cares about me here…" Stefan ended his little rant, raising his head to look for the sun rising to end his life when suddenly and arm grabbed him at his waist and pulled him back.

"Are you an idiot? Were you going to kill yourself, Stefan?" Alaric shouted.

"Why do you care suddenly?" Stefan shouted back.

"Stef" Alaric sighed. "Listen, I get it okay? I heard you before. I had a feeling I spoke a little too harsh to you, so I started looking for you." And a little more softly he said, "Guess it was the right thing to do?"

"Go away" Stefan said trying to get in front of the window again but this time he felt a harsh swat to his backside. "Owww… Ric" Stefan whimpered. "You can't do this" Stefan said.

"What would Damon have done if he had found you here trying to suicide?" Alaric asked. He already knew Damon would have flipped Stefan on his lap and make sitting down a mere memory for Stefan but yet he waited for the reaction from Stefan.

"He would have… But you can't…" Stefan trailed off. 

Alaric didn't say anything as he sat down and pulled Stefan over his lap. A sharp swat to the jean claded backside in front of him had Stefan stop his struggles for a minute enough to let Alaric push Stefan's jeans and boxers down too. At first, Stefan tried to not show any emotion but Alaric knew exactly how to do this and soon Stefan was reduced to a mess of tears and hiccups.

"Please… Ric… It hurts… I get it okay… No more suicide… Please stop... I'm sorry" Stefan cried.

"You trying to suicide is only part of the reason why we are here, Stefan. You need to let go of the guilt that Damon died because of you." Alaric said as he applied more force to his swats and tipped Stefan a little forward.

Stefan tried his best to stay strong but with the force of the swats, he was soon crying out his guilt too. He didn't even realize when Alaric had finished the spanking. Alaric slowly turned Stefan on his lap and was surprised to find the boy throw his arms around his neck and bury his head in his shoulder but Alaric didn't hesitate to return the hug.

"I just want Damon to be back." Stefan cried.

"I know buddy. I know. Even I want him to be back." Alaric said as he slowly rubbed the boy's back. 

After a while, Stefan's sobs turned quiet and Alaric found that the boy had fallen asleep on him. He pulled Stefan's clothes up and carried the boy to Damon's room upstairs. It was the first room he came across to and it seemed much better for Stefan to be there at this moment. Settling the boy in bed, he tucked him in and smiled sadly at the boy.

Returning down, he snatched a bourbon from the counter and sat down where he had just been with Stefan.

"He's broken Damon. You have to come back. For him at least… He needs you… And we haven't really done any good to him… This past week… You've got to come back Damon. Stefan needs you…" Alaric said looking in front in the blank space when suddenly a figure appeared in front of him. 

Blinking again and again, he found a smile creeping on his face as he recognized the person in front of him.

"Damon" Alaric got up pulling Damon in a hug.

"Hey! Missed me?" Damon asked.

"You have no idea, Damon" Alaric chuckled.

"Tell me how much I missed in these days" Damon asked, chuckling too.

Alaric sighed. "Well, there's a lot. But I'm glad that you're back, buddy. We really missed you" Alaric said, silently hoping Damon would go easy on Stefan after he'd told Damon that part of the story but he knew Stefan was in for it. 

**Author's Note: **It's my first attempt to fanfiction. So please review, constructive criticism will be appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Still don't owe any of the Vampire Diaries' character.**

**Warning: Contains spanking**

Meeting Alaric when he returned had been wonderful but still Damon wanted to see his little brother. Ever since he had been gone, Damon terribly missed Stefan. Stefan had been the only reason why he fought against death to bring Stefan back and then fought again, this time to return back to his little brother. He had really missed that baby brother of his and though he would not say it loud but Damon loved his little brother.

"Not that I didn't like meeting you, Ric but I really miss Stefan. Where's he? I need to see him." Damon said. Alaric was about to reply when they heard a voice from behind "Damon?" Turning back, Damon found his little brother standing in the doorway, gasping at him. "Stef, I'm back buddy" Damon said, opening his arms for a hug and Stefan didn't even hesitate before hurrying in Damon's arms. For a minute, they were both quiet. Each of them trying to reassure themselves that the other was really there.

"I can't believe that you're back" Stefan mumbled as he pulled away from the hug and wiped his face. "Aww, don't tell me you are crying" Damon chuckled, "but yes, I am back. And I missed you." Damon said, ruffling Stefan's hair. "I missed you too" Stefan said. "I missed blistering your butt also" Damon chuckled as he gave Stefan a little swat on the backside and didn't miss that sharp intake of breath from Stefan who quickly tried to rub his bottom. "I didn't really hit that hard" Damon said, raising an eyebrow at Stefan. "I had spanked him" Alaric said and within a second Alaric found himself pinned against the wall with Damon glaring at him, fangs out. "I am the only one who can do that to my brother. Nobody touches my brother except of me. So help you, if you don't give me a good reason for having spanked Stef" Damon growled. "You would have done the same thing, Damon. He was trying to kill himself" Alaric shouted as Damon's grip on his neck tightened. "What?" Damon asked, releasing his tight grip on Alaric.

Stefan stood there shifting from one foot to another as he listened to Alaric tell Damon everything from Stefan trying to give a new life a go to them being a little mean to Stefan for giving up on Damon and to Stefan trying to suicide. "I thought we had a serious conversation about you trying to suicide and you had learned that it will only end up in you having a sore bottom" Damon growled at Stefan. "But you died. And that also because of me. And what did I do? I gave up on searching for you because I was scared if I don't find you, it will break forever. I was being so selfish" Stefan said, sniffling slightly. "Oh Stef, I'm so sorry kiddo. You should have told us that you were scared" Alaric said, feeling guilty that he didn't understand Stefan.

Damon sighed looking over at Alaric. "I thought you would take care of Stefan behind me" Damon said. Alaric could feel the disappointment from Damon and he knew not only him but all of their friends had failed Damon and Stefan. "I know" Alaric admitted. "But still thank you for stopping him from killing himself" Damon said with a thankful glance at his best friend. Alaric clapped his shoulder and turned to Stefan who glared at him. "I can see you glaring at Ric and if you don't want to add more to what you would already be getting then drop that glare" Damon warned. "I don't want any" Stefan mumbled. "Too bad you will be getting. Don't you remember after the Klaus fiasco what I had said? You do something like this again and you'll get worse than the hand, right?" Damon said. "Not the belt, please. You said never after Father…" Stefan trailed off his breath hitching as the panic on his face became evident. Alaric raised an eyebrow at Stefan but Damon was quick to reassure his brother with a squeeze to his shoulder. "Not the belt. I'm not Father Stef. I'll never do that to you." Damon said.

Stefan let the breath he'd been holding out but stiffened again when his brother grabbed his arm. "Go cut those branches from that tree. Cut three. You'll be getting spanked by them" Damon said, guiding his brother out. "No, please." Stefan pleaded. "I had promised you buddy. You pull a suicide stunt again and I'm giving you a good dose of spanking. Go get them. I'm waiting" Damon said. He watched Stefan walk out and knew the boy wouldn't risk defying him and would be back with the switch. "I should go. Take care of him. And I'm really sorry for whatever happened recently. But I'm glad you're back buddy." Alaric said, patting Damon's back before going.

It was embarrassing for Stefan to cut those branches and knowing that soon he would be feeling them on his backside. More embarrassing than that was that even before the spanking he was in tears. "Stef, stop stalling this, buddy. Come on, let's get over with this" Damon said, with a hand on Stefan's shoulder, he guided his little brother back inside the house. Stefan felt his jeans and boxers go down for the second time this night. He cursed his vampire healing for having the earlier spanking marks already faded. Who knows Damon might have forgiven him after seeing that he was already sporting spanking marks? But Stefan doubted that when he felt the switches on his already sore backside.

"Damon, I'm sorry. I won't do anything like that again. Please. It hurts" Stefan cried out as Damon continued on tanning his backside. "I know buddy. But you need to get this through your head that suicide is not an option. Never. I don't want a next time, Stefan. You heard me? No suicide attempts again" Damon said as he tipped Stefan forward and continued on spanking the boy for a while before stopping. He let the branches fall as he gathered Stefan in his arms. Rubbing his brother's back, he realized how he had actually missed the boy.

"I'm sorry Damon. I will never do such a thing again" Stefan cried. "It's okay. I know. This wouldn't have happened if you had understood what I had said after that Klaus fiasco buddy. You put yourself in danger again and I blister your butt" Damon said. "I know" Stefan sniffled and buried his face in Damon's shoulder.

Rocking the boy in his arms, Damon waited until Stefan was asleep to let out the breath he'd been holding. As long as Stefan is safe, everything is fine for Damon and he'll do anything to keep the boy safe even if it meant tanning Stefan's behind to keep him safe.

**Author's note: **I'm thankful to everybody who reviewed. Please Review and if anyone has a prompt. Feel free to leave one behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **I'm really sorry if some of you find the plot of my story not convenient. It's just a story. And I'm really sorry if I have hurt anyone's feelings.

Ariana: In my story, I made Stefan give up on everything because he feared that if he goes through a lead and fails then Damon would never come back. He would never be able to live with the fact that he failed to get his brother back so he preferred to just give up on everything and lead a life quietly, away from everything.

marajade: Thank you for liking the story.

Kylie: Thank you for understanding.

I'm sorry to leave it hanging in the second chapter. Hope this third chapter makes up for it.

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I still don't own any of the Vampire Diaries' character.**

The sun shining right on his face was the first thing that woke him up. Rolling over his back, Stefan gasped at the sharp pain from his backside. "Ow" Stefan winced, quickly getting up. _So last night wasn't a dream? Damon was… _His feet shuffling faster, Stefan ran down quickly crashing into someone. "Slow down tiger! What's the rush?" Damon asked. "You're really here?" Stefan asked. "Yup, in flesh and bone" Damon snickered, patting his brother's back as he went to the kitchen.

Stefan trailed off behind Damon, trying to stay within reach to his brother. Damon noticed but didn't make any comment. Stefan sat at the table and got up quickly sneaking a rub at his backside as Damon chuckled quietly. He had missed these normal moments. He was about to speak up when his phone rang. Speaking quietly on the phone, Damon frowned as he got off the phone. "It was Caroline. She is coming home along with Enzo." Damon said. Stefan merely nodded. He did not want to see them but he didn't want to say anything to his brother.

Stefan had been sitting with his brother when suddenly Caroline and Enzo burst through the door. "Damon, you're back?" Enzo asked and grabbed on Damon's arm to ensure that the man was actually in front of him. "But how did you get back?" Caroline asked, eying Stefan suspiciously. "Let's leave that for some any other day?" Damon said. "I'm sure Stefan had no hand in this" Enzo said. Damon raised an eyebrow at Enzo but before he could say anything, Caroline beat him to it. "I'm glad you came back Damon because nobody else was making a move to actually get you back." Caroline said.

Stefan got up to go back to his room. He knew every of those taunts were directed to him but he heard them so much all these days that it didn't matter anymore to him. "You wait right there" Damon said and turning to Enzo he said, "How much did you guys do to get me back, huh? And you Caroline, what have you done except of blaming Stefan. Whatever Stefan did, I have no qualms about it, okay? And guys, what about Elena? Did any of you blame her for erasing all my memories? Doesn't that mean she is betraying me? So why are you all so angry at Stefan?" Damon asked. "Do me a favor guys, get out of here and do not ever bother me or Stef or at least leave us alone for some time" Damon shouted.

Standing behind his brother, Stefan was shocked at how Damon took his side. All their life they had had so many differences but here his brother was taking his side. As soon as Caroline and Enzo left, Stefan turned to Damon, "Why?" Stefan asked. "Because you're my brother. Nobody gets away after hurting you so much. I know it's because of them that you thought of killing yourself. They are the ones that pushed you to hurting yourself." Damon said, "And I'm sorry for having spanked you for that but know one thing Stef, I may not say it enough but you mean the whole world to me. So don't you ever think of killing yourself, okay? Besides I'll always be there for you since I've promised you an eternity of misery, right? I have to be there to make your life hell, right?" Damon chuckled pulling Stefan in a hug.

"You will not make my life hell" Stefan chuckled in Damon's shirt. "Keep telling yourself that buddy. I'll make your life hell." Damon snickered. "You won't." Stefan laughed. "I can always tan your little white butt, Stefan" Damon shouted at the boy who ran off for cover quickly.

**Author's note: **Again I'm sorry if anyone though the story was inappropriate. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. If anyone has a prompt, I'll be glad to write it. Please leave one behind.

Thank you,

Nyssa


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